Buying property in Spain: step-by-step process

Get these in place before you view properties or make an offer:

• Appoint an independent Spanish lawyer (never the seller's or agent's).
• Apply for your NIE (see our NIE guide).
• Get a mortgage decision in principle — talk to us early so lender appetite is confirmed before you offer.
• Open a Spanish bank account for the deposit and future direct debits.
• Budget for 10–12% purchase costs on top of price (see our cost guide).

Offers are usually made in writing via the estate agent. Once accepted, a reservation contract (contrato de reserva) is signed and a deposit of €3,000–€10,000 is paid — typically to the agent — to take the property off market for 2–4 weeks while your lawyer completes initial due diligence. This deposit is usually credited against the arras deposit at the next stage.

• Title search at the Registro de la Propiedad (nota simple).
• Confirmation of no debts, mortgages or embargoes attached to the property.
• Checks on planning status, licences, and any illegal extensions.
• IBI, community fees and utilities up to date.
• Cédula de habitabilidad / first occupation licence for new-build.
• Energy Performance Certificate.
• For urbanisation properties: community accounts and pending derramas (special levies).

The contrato de arras is the binding private contract. The buyer pays 10% of the price (less any reservation deposit already paid). Under standard "arras penitenciales" terms, either party can withdraw — but the buyer forfeits the 10% and the seller must repay double.

Always insist on a mortgage-conditional clause — if your Spanish lender declines, you recover your deposit. Without this clause, a mortgage decline can cost the full 10%. Your lawyer negotiates this at arras stage.

For the deposit proof, source-of-funds trail and due-diligence documents you need at this stage, see the stage-by-stage purchase document checklist.

In parallel with due diligence and arras, submit the formal mortgage application. The Spanish lender instructs a valuation (tasación) — typically €400–€1,500 — and completes its underwriting. From application to formal offer (FEIN) generally takes 4–8 weeks.

A minimum 10-day cooling-off period between FEIN issue and notary signing is mandatory under Ley 5/2019, so time the arras completion date accordingly.

• Buyer, seller, both lawyers, notary — and lender representative if mortgaged.
• Reading of the escritura de compraventa (sale deed) and, if applicable, the escritura de préstamo hipotecario (mortgage deed).
• Balance of purchase price transferred (usually by banker's draft — cheque bancario).
• Keys handed over on signature.
• Notary provides a copia simple immediately; the copia autorizada follows within days.
• Non-attending buyers sign via Power of Attorney granted to their Spanish lawyer.

• Purchase tax paid (ITP or IVA/AJD) via Modelo 600/601 — within 30 days.
• Escritura submitted to the Land Registry for inscription in the buyer's name (4–8 weeks).
• Utility direct debits set up on your Spanish bank account.
• Change of name at the town hall for IBI and rubbish tax.
• Fiscal representative appointed for annual Modelo 210 filings.

Transfer tax rates vary by autonomous community — check the regional property transfer tax tables for Andalusia, Madrid, Catalonia, the Balearics and the Canary Islands before completion.

For a mortgage-funded purchase with due diligence in parallel, expect 10–14 weeks from offer accepted to notary. Cash purchases can complete in 6–8 weeks. Off-plan purchases are governed by the construction programme — deposits are staged during build, with mortgage drawdown at practical completion.

See our companion hub for a full breakdown of Spanish property purchase timelines — including NIE, mortgage approval, and post-completion registration ranges — plus the purchase document checklist and regional transfer tax tables.